POLITICAL POTPOURRI 11-21-08

Friday

Nov 21, 2008 at 2:00 AM

Patriot Staff

What are we doing about water?

State Sen. Rob O’Leary will speak about new steps to protect the Cape’s water resources Saturday, Nov. 22, at St. Mary’s Church on Route 6A in Barnstable. O’Leary’s talk is part of a conference, “Water Stewardship: Our Legacy, Our Future,” which will begin at 9 a.m. after refreshments at 8:30 a.m. Admission is free. The Rev. Steve V. Smith, rector of St. Mary’s, whose environmental stewardship committee is sponsoring the event, will speak, as will Dr. Brian Howes, scientific leaders of the Massachusetts Estuaries Project, and Jon Davis, remediation program manager at the Massachusetts Military Reservation. Ted’s back in D.C. U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy has left Hyannisport to return to Washington for the special post-election session of Congress. In a press statement, Kennedy said he would work on a new stimulus package for citizens during the brief session while continuing to “lay the ground work for early action by Congress on health reform when President Obama takes office in January.” As chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (with the appropriate acronym HELP), Kennedy created three health reform working groups this week. Sen. Tom Harkin is in charge of prevention and public health, Sen. Barbara Mikulski of improvements in quality of care, and Sen. Hillary Clinton of insurance coverage. (Kennedy probably has a back-up solon in mind for the insurance job, given the likelihood that Clinton will be named Secretary of State in the new administration.) Kennedy and the ranking Republican member of his committee, Sen. Mike Enzi, joined Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and ranking Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley to announce legislation designed to protect workers’ pensions while providing tax incentives for businesses. That quartet was joined by Finance Health Care Subcommittee Chairman Sen. Jay Rockefeller and ranking member Sen. Orrin Hatch, and HELP Children and Families Subcommittee Chairman Sen. Chris Dodd in a statement promising comprehensive health reform – improved access, quality, and cost controls – when Congress convenes after the inauguration.Seasonal salute to soldiers State Rep. Jeff Perry has once again offered his office at 449 Route 6A in East Sandwich as a collection point for Christmas and holiday cards for soldiers and wounded veterans. He will pay for mailing costs and postage, but will accept donations for that purpose (make checks payable to Cape Cod Cares for Our Troops). Drop by during office hours Fridays from 2 to 4 p.m. or call ahead (508-888-2158) to make an appointment.